


Shadows of Fear

by Charlie_Harrison1806



Series: Shadows [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Bucky gets healed, Crossover, F/M, Loki goes missing, first universe jump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2018-04-19
Packaged: 2019-03-28 12:29:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13904055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charlie_Harrison1806/pseuds/Charlie_Harrison1806
Summary: After the events caused by the Accords, Steve and T'Challa rescued most of the team that supported Cap but Loki and Shadow are nowhere to be found within the prison complex. With Wanda helping Bucky to gain control over the Winter Soldier and Team Cap and Team Iron Man having a rocky get together when Thanos heads to Earth, will the Avengers be able to pull together one last time to find Loki and Shadow and to get all of the Infinity Stones away from Thanos before he destroys reality and every other alternate reality around it?





	1. Chapter 1

"This may hurt," Wanda encouraged holding her hands either side of my head.

"I've had worse," I answered taking a deep breath and clenching my metal hand over my flesh hand.

"Close your eyes and relax," I nodded my head and closed my eyes, able to feel Wanda's magic caressing my temples before feeling like I was being thrown backwards, halting suddenly in one of my worst memories.

"Remember when I made you ride the Cyclone at Coney Island?" my voice sounded distant as I spoke, looking over a large drop. The edges of my vision were blurry and when I changed where I was looking it was like changing a slide.

"Yeah, and I threw up?" Steve's voice was barely audible over my screaming as the memory jumped.

"Bucky! Hang on!" Steve began climbing out of the open side of the train, reaching for me.

"Grab my hand!" I could feel the bar I was holding as it began to break. Just before I could grab his hand the rail fell and Steve's scream rang in my ears. "NO!"

"I'm sorry. You were holding that memory too tight," Wanda stated holding her hands tight to her body and tears streaming down her face.

"Buck? You okay?" I felt light headed as my breaths came in large gulps.

"Ye... yeah," I stated nodding my head unsurely.

"What was it? The memory," Steve asked. I swallowed heavily and took a deep breath.

"Train. 1940's when I fell," I managed out between breaths, trying to calm my heart rate and to avoid letting the Winter Soldier free from its cage. I heard Steve sigh and the sound of rustling material.

"We need to find Shadow and Loki, Steve. If it's true and this guy, Thanos, is coming we will need them," I explained knowing that Steve wouldn't let Wanda stop trying to erase the Winter Soldier.

"There's no guarantee that you'll stay in control, Buck. More people know about those words than before. A lot more. We get rid of the programming first," Steve ordered before storming out of the room with his fists clenched.

"You need to try and relax. Don't focus on your memories," I nodded my head with a sigh before relaxing again as Wanda's hands came back into view and her magic entering my mind.

"Bucky," "Don't win the war before I get there," "NO!" "We will make you better," "AHH!"

"What? What happened?" I ask looking at Wanda in Pietro's arms, tears falling down his face as he looks at his unconscious sister.

"Your memories I think. She is only unconscious," Pietro answered trying to keep a calm voice but the worry was dripping from his words. He gave me a quick nod before speeding out of the room with Wanda in his arms.

"Your friends are trying," I leaned forwards with my elbows on my knees before nodding my head.

"I know. I know," I turned my head and looked at T'Challa as he walked towards me.

"So why do you look like you are giving up hope?" he inquired.

"Because the day before the airport, Shadow mentioned that she knew someone that could kill the Winter Soldier, leaving me in control without fear of it killing people. She's now gone who knows where and I am worried that every time Wanda tries to get the Winter Soldier programming that she might accidentally release it," I explained standing in front of the king.

"If she does we have ways to avoid it killing anyone but you do not know that she will release him," I shook my head chuckling.

"All due respect your majesty but I can feel how close the bars are to breaking. If she tries again those bars will be broken and the Winter Soldier will be out. I need to find Shadow or at the very least Loki," T'Challa nodded his head after a few moments before walking away.

"I will take you to your gear and give you transport but I recommend that you find someone to help you," T'Challa then left the room and I jogged after him feeling a little better now that someone was seeing my point of view.

"Who would you recommend?" I asked thinking through all of the possibilities.

"I would suggest Thor as he would have the same hope of finding his brother but I do not know where he is so I will send a message to someone to meet you on the way to the only Hydra base in Wakanda. You may find answers there," T'Challa pointed to a room before leaving, not giving me a chance to say thanks.

I opened the door to find all my gear on the bed with a set of keys next to all of it. I pulled the polo shirt that Steve had loaned me off and removed my sweats before throwing on the familiar black shirt, jacket, pants and boots. Grabbing a duffle bag, I stuffed a map with coordinates written on it and all my weapons into the bag,  bar a knife and pistol, and throwing it over my shoulder before leaving with the gun and knife in hand. I checked the tag on the keys and saw ' _P102'_  written in cursive writing.

Throwing open the door into the garage I checked each parking space, walking past futuristic cars and bikes to trucks and everything else in between before finding park 102 with a BSA A7. I ran over to the bike with a smile plastered on my face as memories of helping scrawny Steve in back alleys came to mind. As the bike started the familiar rumble of the engine made my smile grow.

 _"If anyone sees James Barnes please send him to medical,"_  the smile turned to a smirk as T'Challa's voice came over the speaker.

"Thank you, your majesty," I put the bike into gear before heading straight for the exit watching it open as soon as I got close enough and watching it close behind me in the mirrors. Recalling what the map had said I just kept riding down the dirt road enjoying the memories that this bike brought back.


	2. Chapter 2

"Who is it?" I asked down the phone annoyed that T'Challa wasn't telling me who was meeting me here.

 _"They will be there shortly, James. He is the best chance you have to find both Loki and Shadow. If something goes wrong between the two of you, there is a blue button on the left side of the engine to your bike, it will let me know and I will deal with the problem myself,"_  he then ended the call leaving the annoying beeps at the end.

"Damn it," I snapped the flip phone closed and pushed it as far as I could into my pocket before looking back over the abandoned Hydra base in front of me.

"You have to be fucking kidding me," I cursed as the sound of a very familiar egotistical asshole filled my ears. I looked over to my left with a glare as the one and only Tony Stark landed about 10 metres away.

"Tinman,"

"Stark,"

"You're lucky we're in Wakandan territory or I'd ship your arse to Ross," Stark noted as he walked closer.

"I don't give a shit about you or Ross or anything else right now. You either help me or I kick your arse and leave you here," I growled as I grabbed another gun out of my duffle bag, holding it tightly as I began walking over to the base.

"I don't even know what you're doing. For all I know, you could still be Hydra's toy,"

"I dare you to say that again," I hissed after punching Stark in the head, knocking him to the ground even with his Iron Man suit on. Tony stood up from the ground a little clumsily before going to punch me, stopping when I spoke.

"I'm trying to find Loki and Shadow. They weren't being kept in that fancy arse underwater prison," I watched Stark get out of his Iron Man suit and walk closer.

"Of course they were. Everyone who tried to stop you from going back to prison was held there," Tony argued.

"Not everyone. Steve searched every part of it and never found them. There were no records of them ever having been taken there, to begin with," Stark seemed to shut up as he was lost for words before he stepped back into his suit.

"Friday, search all prison records for Reindeer Games and Psycho," I rolled my eyes at Stark's names for people before being able to hear Friday respond.

_"No results found sir,"_

"Alright, Tinman. I'll help but why did you want me?" Stark asked.

"I didn't," I answered smugly before walking towards the base, gun raised in case it wasn't as abandoned as it looked.

"How do I know you're not just tricking me into doing this?" I groaned with annoyance as we stood in front of the Hydra base.

"Believe me, if I had a choice. It wouldn't be you," I moved the last few metres and opened the metal door in front of me as far as it would go to be met with nothing but dust, cobwebs and dead rodents.

"There aren't any life forms in the complex," Stark announced as we began to walk through the musty halls.

"We aren't just looking for people, Stark. There might be something that tells us where they might be," I answered starting to get really annoyed. I could hear Stark as he was about to say something when movement to our right made us both turn ready to shoot.

"Whoa. Whoa, easy. We're not going to hurt you," A man stepped forwards arms raised in surrender with two women by his side.

"Wait, didn't I meet you a few years back?" Stark asked genuinely confused... for once.

"Unfortunately. We're just looking for a friend who's gone missing," The man continued. I lowered my gun before holding out my hand.

"Bucky,"

"Cyclops," The man responded shaking my hand. "This is Storm and Jean,"

"X-Men. You looking for Shadow?" Stark asked I turned to him confused.

"Yes. The professor can't find her anywhere," Strom noted.

"I'm sorry but how do you all know each other?" I asked.

"Years ago, Stark and Steve Rogers came to our home looking for help to take down a guy called Loki. Shadow was the one who went with them to help out and she stayed with the Avengers since." Cyclops began.

"But she would always check in with the professor every week but she hasn't for nearly a month now," Jean finished.

"So have you found anything here?" I asked them, hope in my voice.

"Not much. We did find a location for one Asgardian God though," Jean announced.

"Loki. Where?" I asked.

"He's being held in a Hydra experimentation lab in Texas. According to the files, they seem to be trying to find a way of making regenerative soldiers using his advanced healing," Storm explained.

"Do you know where in Texas?" Storm shook her head and handed me some paper.

"None of us can read Sokovian," I looked at the paper as Storm spoke before quickly heading back out of the base and pulling out my phone.

"T'Challa. Can I talk to Wanda or Pietro? They may be able to help with where Loki is," I stated quickly over the phone as soon as T'Challa answered.

 _"Pietro is here,"_  I could hear some noise on the other end before Pietro's accent filled the speaker.

_"Yes?"_

"I need your help. How soon can you get to an old Hydra base if you get directions from T'Challa?" I asked.

"4 minutes, maybe 5. I'll be there soon," I heard some quick conversation before the beeping to signify that Pietro had hung up.

"What are you doing?" Storm asked as she came out of the base.

"I've got a translator coming. He should be here soon," I explained as Pietro stopped next to us in a cloud of dust.

"Here," I passed him the paper and he read over it. The X-Men all looking at Pietro bewildered.

"It's an address, a farm in Texas, America." Pietro explained passing it back.

"Want to help try and find Loki and Shadow? We might need your translating abilities again," I asked hopefully. Pietro shrugged and nodded.

"Wanda is busy helping Shuri,"


	3. Chapter 3

"Well, I don't think that's a farm. Just sayin'," I stated looking at the large compound surrounded by electrified wire.

"Shut up," I laughed at Stark's offended tone before continuing my path for the outer edge of the compound with Pietro and Stark behind me, unable to miss the clanking of Stark's Iron Man suit. Once we reached the fence, Stark alerted Storm that we were in position so that the X-Men could do whatever it is they were planning.

"What are they-" I began but jumped out of the way as a bolt of lightning hit the fence, short-circuiting the electricity.

"That's what they are doing," I glared at Stark, for his smug comment, as he ripped the fence post out of the ground and throwing it to the side. Pietro and I entered the compound with Stark but he stayed outside as Pietro and I continued into the building through an alternate entrance to the one where the X-Men were now distracting the guards.

"Find Loki and help him get out of here. I'm going to try and find something about where Shadow is," I ordered. Pietro nodded before vanishing in a silver streak down the long hall. I walked up to the first door and opened it finding a storage cupboard and the next door was empty. I walked a little further down and opened the next door to find an office full of screens with the fighting out the front and other rooms, including Loki unconscious in a room.

"Pietro, his in a lab underground," I stated through the comm unit. I watched on the monitor as the door busted open, all of the restraints on Loki released and then he was gone.

 _"Got him. He's back on the jet,"_  I nodded to myself and began looking through the still open computer for anything about Shadow.

"How are you going, Tinman?" I jumped and aimed my gun at Stark's head initially before sighing when I realised it was him.

"Can you save everything on the computer rather than risk us getting killed in here?" I asked rolling my eyes, knowing that Stark was smirking.

"Done. Now let's go," I followed after Stark as we left the building and headed to the clearing where the X-Men's jet is supposed to be.

"He's unconscious but alive. He should wake up on his own," Storm announced as we walked on board.

"We'll drop you off at the Avenger's complex but we have to get back," Jean announced as the engines started whirring. I walked over to the empty seat next to Loki and looked at the wounds on his arms and chest.

"Have you let Steve know you're cheating on him?" Stark asked.

"Go to Hell, Tony. I think they were trying to cut this out of him," I grabbed Loki's arm and turned it slightly to show Stark and Pietro a black moving symbol on Loki's left arm. As Tony was about to touch the symbol, Loki woke up and tried to punch me as he snatched his arm out of my grasp. On instinct I blocked his punch and punched him, knocking him out.

"That's not what I'd meant to do," I sighed as Loki lay sprawled over the chair.

"Good job. Now we have to wait even longer before he wakes up," Stark grumbled behind me

"Can you punch him for me?" I laughed at Pietro's complaint loving the offended sound that came from Stark.

"I'm going to call Steve and let him know where we will be. He may bring the others back," I explained to Pietro, ignoring Stark as he tried to protest. I pressed call after dialling Steve's number and he answered after a single ring.

_"Buck. Where are you?"_

"On my way to the Avenger's complex with Pietro and... Stark. We found Loki but Shadow wasn't there," I answered standing at the back of the Jet and watching the others carefully.

 _"I'll bring the others over, just take care, Buck._ " I hung up the phone and walked back over to my chair, sitting down heavily in it, deciding the best thing I could do is to sleep for the rest of this 5-hour flight.

***

"Sir. Some people broke into the base and have taken Loki," I felt my lips pull into a tired and pained smile. Happy to know that Loki was finally free from whatever torture he was being put through.

"I guess we'll have to dial up our output then. I want her drained of 2 litres of blood every week," I winced at the order, hoping that someone would find me soon.

"What's wrong? You're not making any snarky comments or threats upon my life?" I glowered at Stryker as he spoke, wincing in pain as he pushed a knife into my stomach.

"Scream you little bitch. I think your father would be more than happy to see you in pain as you bleed out," Stryker twisted the blade with each word as he spoke slowly and carefully, and each movement made me wince but I refused to cry and I refused to scream, it would only make it worse.

"I'm hoping that all of this will actually work. That you won't be the same ever again. I would feel truly hurt if you came out of this and were still the stuck up, spoilt little slut that you were when we first got you all those years ago. It's been a year since you came back," I groaned as Stryker nodded to the man who always stood behind me, always waiting for the signal to turn on the U.V. lights that they had buried beneath my skin. It was the worst part of the day.

"Let's go 30% power, Oliver. That should make her scream," I widened my eyes in fear, they had never put it on so high.

"No please. Don't," I begged. Stryker only smiled as he pulled the numerous blades out of my body, leaving them to bleed.

"You should beg more. It makes me want to hurt you more," Stryker commented with a sick smile.

"AHHH! PLEASE STOP!! LOKI HELP!!" I screamed and begged while writhing on the table, praying that someone would help me.


	4. Chapter 4

***Loki's POV***

"Shadow!" I woke up startled, feeling like I had heard Shadow screaming my name. I heard someone laughing as I looked around noticing the change in scenery from the last time I was awake.

"Where am I mortal?!" I demanded, looking over at the closest person. When I realised it was Bucky I calmed down a little, still not impressed though.

"The Avenger's complex. Everyone else will be here soon if they aren't already," I nodded my head as I looked around the pristine area.

"Yeah sorry. Why did you freak out on the jet though?" Bucky asked. I looked up at him confused as I rubbed my jaw wondering why it hurt.

"I punched you on instinct after you tried to punch me on the jet," I nodded my head as he explained.

"What jet?" I inquired. The last thing I remembered was a knife digging into my arm as they tried to dig Shadow's mark out of my wrist.

"You woke up on the jet after Stark tried to touch that mark on your wrist," Bucky explained.

"I don't remember that but I wish I did remember. I would have aimed at him," I smirked at him and he laughed before shaking his head.

"But why did you freak out?" I looked down at my wrist, watching as the wounds began to heal a little quicker.

"Why should I tell you?" I asked smirking as I tried to stand but failed as I fell back onto the bed.

"You're still recovering. So why not explain what happened so that you have some company. Cause I will leave if you won't explain," I sighed in annoyance knowing that Shadow would explain it anyway but she would bring up a lot more than just this symbol.

"This is a symbol that Shadow Jumpers use on other people," I motioned to the mark on my arm before continuing. "If it's a part of my skin, Shadow can communicate telepathically with me and she can pass some of her abilities on to me but only if it is still part of my skin. If removed, all of the power she has passed to me will return to her and... it will kill me,"

"Not what I was expecting," I looked up at Bucky to see an emotion I had never seen before plastered over his face. "Would it allow you to find Shadow?"

"Yes. Why?" Concerns and worries began flooding my mind. "Where is Shadow?"

"Why are you so protective of her?" I stood up and managed to keep my balance as I pushed Bucky against the wall.

"Where is she?" I demanded.

"We don't know. We were trying to find both of you but we still haven't found where Shadow is," I felt my heart stop as the memory of Shadow screaming in pain came back to my mind.

"Can you answer my question now?" I stumbled back a little, still scared of what she could be going through. The pain, the torture.

"She's..." I began before a set of arms squeezed me tightly and lifted me up in the air.

"BROTHER! YOU ARE WELL!"

"Let me go you oaf!" I snapped at Thor thankful when he put me down but I will never admit that I did miss him... just a little.

"That means Reindeer Games is awake and alive," I glared at Stark as he walked in but a man that followed reminded me of a picture Shadow showed me a long time ago.

"So this is Loki," I looked at the man trying to remember the name I had read on the scrolls.

 _"Strange. Stephen Strange,"_ I told myself looking at him before hate kicked in. I pulled out a dagger and threw it at him and he only just managed to dodge out of the way before it hit his chest.

"You. It's your fault," I growled surprising everyone in the room but I couldn't care less as I threw a dagger at the end of each sentence. "You left her to die! You gave her to scientists so they could experiment!"

"I don't know who you are talking about," I lunged at the man swiping for his stomach as he wrapped an orange glow around my wrist, tugging my arm away. I kicked at his leg just catching him and sending him to the floor.

"I will kill you for what you did to my wife," As I tried to stab him, familiar hands grabbed my arm and ripped me backwards. I spun around and tried to stab Thor for stopping me.

"Brother, stop. You have this man confused," Thor began and I just growled at him.

"No I haven't and I will kill him for what he has done," I growled teleporting behind him, narrowly missing him.  _Did his cape just stop me from killing him?_  Before I could find out Thor grabbed my arms and held me back from this insect.

"Look. I don't know what you think I have done to your whatever it was but my name is-" I cut him off, spitting his name in disgust.

"Stephen Strange. I have the misfortune of already knowing," He looked surprised and a little taken aback.

"So you do know me. Well, that makes this a bit awkward," He stood up from the ground while Thor continued to hold me back.

"Yes. The man who gave his daughter to scientists so that he was rid of her. Shadow's father or would you like me to use the name you gave her. Timor's father," the initial look of confusion fell into a look of shock.

"Wait, you sent your daughter to be experimented on?" Thor let go of my arms as he turned to question this abomination.

"My wife killed herself because of Timor. Whatever happened to that thing, it deserved it," I felt my blood boil as anger turned to rage.

"I hope for your sake, that you don't need sleep. I will kill you, even if it's the last thing I do," I hissed lunging forwards and managing to stab him but the cape moved him reducing the wound to a nonfatal one.

"You will die and I will make sure you suffer as much pain as you made Shadow go through," I whispered angrily before I removed my dagger from his stomach and stormed out of the room. I decided to go back to Asgard temporarily to see Mother and ask for her help...and to have a moment away from these stupid insects I am surrounded by.


	5. Chapter 5

***3rd Person POV***

"I'm sorry. Did anyone else hear Loki refer to Shadow as  _wife_?" Tony asked as soon as Loki left the room. Bruce was helping Stephen up to see the extent of the wound.

"You're hearing things, Tony. Do you think you can walk to the lab?" Bruce commented before turning back to the injured patient. Stephen nodded his head and walked out of the room with Bruce heading down to the lab.

"Aye. My brother did call Shadow his wife," Thor agreed, making Tony smirk before faulting.

"Why would he call Shadow his wife? The two aren't married," Stark announced before questioning himself once he'd finished.

"They are by Asgardian tradition and I believe by what Shadow had told me, possibly by Shadow Jumper law," Thor admitted surprising the present Avengers.

*** Asgard ***

"Loki," Frigga said softly as she embraced the god of mischief.

"Mother," Loki whispered as he returned the embrace.

"What has happened? You haven't been home in 3 years," Frigga chided and Loki's smile grew.

"I am better now. I apologise for not having been home, I was unable to for the last year." Loki explained as the two began walking along the corridors around the palace.

"Why not?" Frigga asked and Loki winced slightly as memories came back from the last year.

"I would rather not worry you. How has Asgard been?" Loki questioned. Frigga stopped walking and looked around the courtyard. When she didn't see anyone else, she grabbed Loki's arm and began walking quickly and down to the vaults below.

"Mother?" Loki questioned as he recognised the room, memories of being told he was a frost giant becoming prominent in his mind.

"There is a Titan coming to Asgard for this, Loki. Take it back with you. Protect it," Frigga explained somewhat vaguely as she handed Loki the Tesseract.

"I will not touch that, mother. I am sorry," Loki noted holding his hands up in surrender and taking a few steps backwards.

"I know you tried to take over Midgard because of this, Loki. But if it is not protected by someone who better understands it's power, Asgard will be lost. Please my son," Frigga pleaded. Loki sighed but held out his hands for the Tesseract. As Frigga let it go in his hands, Loki could feel the power coming from within... and the memories of blood, murder and destruction.

"As much as I love seeing you my son, take this and go. The quicker it gets off of Asgard the better," Frigga noted. Loki sighed but nodded his head in reply.

"Of course, mother. I will return when I can," Loki stated before hurrying out of the weapon's vault, Tesseract in hand. Before he reached the Bifrost, guards came up to Loki and held weapons against his neck.

"The king wishes to speak with you," one growled. Loki smiled already feeling the door opening to Midgard.

"Tell him to catch me another time. I truly am busy," Loki commented in mockery before falling through the portal beneath him and onto the floor in the Avenger's compound.

"That's quite the entrance... You stole the Tesseract... again," Steve noted looking disappointedly at Loki who was laying on his back.

"Given, actually. By my mother. I think it's a late birthday present," Loki remarked as he got up off of the ground.

"And I'm guessing you're planning to pull another army through a portal?" Steve asked making Loki tense.

"I have no intentions of that," Loki spat angrily before storming off and into his room. He looked at the Tesseract and questioned what to do with it.

 _"You have been asked to go to the conference room,"_  Friday's voice noted and Loki sighed, hiding the Tesseract with his magic before he left for the conference room.

"There he is. We're all here now," Stark commented as Loki entered the room, two strange new people standing with their backs to the door and Shadow's father.

"What is going on?" Loki inquired as he meandered over to a free seat in the corner of the room.

"There have been attacks on different planets as Thanos tries to find the Infinity Stones. He destroyed a peaceful planet to get the Power Stone," one of the new figures explained.

"We believe he will go to Asgard next before coming to Earth to collect the remaining 4 Infinity Stones," another spoke and Loki was trying so hard not to roll his eyes.

"There is only 2 stones on Earth and one on Asgard. If he only has 2 of the Stones then there is still one to find," Thor boomed, startling Loki with how close he was.

"No, you oaf. There are three in this realm and one in Knowhere. Do you not remember the Aether being taken there?" Loki asked annoyed at Thor's incompetence.

"The Aether?" Steve asked looking over.

"The Reality Stone is still in Space. Thanos has the Soul Stone and apparently the Power Stone as well," Loki began motioning to the newcomers. "Space, Mind and Time are here on Earth,"

"But the Tesseract is on Asgard," Thor noted looking at Loki confused.

"No. Apparently his mother gave him the Tesseract. He brought it back here," Steve explained, earning a death glare from Loki.

"You stole the Tesseract again?" Thor growled facing his brother.

"No. Frigga gave it to me to try and avoid Asgard being destroyed," Loki snapped. Thor seemed to debate this before turning away.

"Where is the Tesseract now?" Stephen asked.

"And why would I tell a second rate sorcerer?" Loki mocked, one of the men stepping forwards.

"Loki," Thor growled as Loki reached for his daggers. "This is Wong and Mordo. They are on our side,"

"Whatever," Loki stated, staring at the amulet around Stephen's neck. Loki placed the Tesseract on the table before pushing past Stephen, violently, and out of the room, vanishing as soon as the doors closed.

"What happened to your fancy necklace?" Stark questioned pointing to Stephen. Stephen looked down to see the Eye of Agamotto was missing and Loki was the one who took it.


	6. Chapter 6

“Thanos has the Reality Stone,” Thor noted solemnly as he walked back into the compound, everyone stopping what they were doing.

“It won’t take him long to get here then. Anyone heard from Loki or know where Shadow is?” Steve asked the group. Everyone shook their head or made a noise in response.

“I may be able to find Shadow by using Friday,” Tony pointed out, the first bit of good news in a while.

“Why would you want her? She can’t help us,” Stephen pointed out angrily.

“Be glad Loki wasn’t here to hear you say that. Stark, find her. Bucky, stay behind and help him however you can. We have two of the Infinity Stones, let’s protect them,” Steve ordered as Stark left the room with Bucky hesitantly in tow.

“Stark. If we break into a Hydra base to get her, we will need help.” Bucky grumbled and Stark hummed in agreement, surprising Bucky.

“And I know just who to call,” Stark noted before pointing down a hall and turning to face Bucky. “I think we need some scotch,”

“Whatever,” Bucky grumbled walking down the hall with no intention of getting the scotch or returning to Stark.

“Friday. Have you found anything about the emo yet?” Stark called to the AI.

“She is currently located in Mamià in Brazil, Sir,” Friday answered and Tony stopped walking.

“And you didn’t tell me sooner?” Stark asked and there was a momentary silence.

“You gave me orders to not tell you until you were alone,” Friday answered and Stark nodded.

“Alright. Send the X-Men a message saying that we found her and tell them where. They can help us out,” Stark ordered as he jogged over to his Iron Man suit and climbed in just as Bucky entered the room realising he would have to find out what Stark had found.

“Come on, Tinman. We’ve found her,” Bucky’s mouth fell agape with Stark’s words.

*** Shadow’s POV ***

“Look at you. All beat up and weak. It’s beautiful,” I glared at Stryker as he walked in front of me. He just smiled before pointing a UV light at my face.

“Ahh!” I snapped my head away from him as my body began to burn.

“You have become so much more like a shadow now. You burn under the exposure of UV and,” I felt Stryker probe my head and I screamed as he used the light. “You begin to dissolve. Just like a shadow disappears when exposed to light.”

“Go to hell!” I hissed at him and he just chuckled before turning the lights in the room on and walking out.

“AHH!” I screamed, fighting the restraints holding me to the bed as I tried to get out of the bright lights. I could feel my body tearing apart as I tried to escape, all of my thoughts focused on trying to get away but all my senses were screaming out in pain.

“LET ME GO! LOKI!” I screamed out as the strength of the UV was increased.

***Loki’s POV***

I held my hands out in front of me with the Time Stone around my neck as I walked through the pitch black around me. None of my magic was lighting up the area around me and I kept stumbling, even at the slow pace I was walking. I felt along the cold walls until I found a sign and felt the embedded letters.

“Not that one,” I grumbled to myself as I walked off, continuing to feel the walls. I felt another sign but this one was colder, more smooth and my mind went back over the memory of being here with Shadow.

_“What happens if someone does end up in here without a Shadow Jumper?” I questioned. Originally, I had wanted to use her. Make her mine so that she would be on my side when I tried to take Earth and Asgard but I didn’t want any of that anymore._

_“The shadows here can be a little carnivorous. The signs next to the doors change material the closer you get to those shadows but no one knows that.” I nodded carefully as I looked at the enamel sign on the library_

_“What is the material before you reach them?” I asked checking the shadows that were crawling closer to me._

_“Those ones right there are carnivorous, Loki. The enamel signs signify the edge of their territory,” I looked over at her as I inched further away from them._

“Metal,” I groaned as I kept going, I was doing well to not begin shaking with the adrenaline flowing through my body but I had to keep moving.

“Kill him,” I turned my head as fear, fully set in. That was Thanos. I turned back to the wall and kept feeling it but faster, praying that I wouldn’t miss the sign.

“I can’t see hi-” I found another sign and began feeling it, sighing in relief that it was the enamel sign I was after but fear as the Other’s voice reached my ears.

“Find him. Kill him and bring me back the Infinity Stone,” Thanos growled. I ran into the library and tried to remember the way to the centre of the library.

“Left. 100 paces, right. 20 paces. The end of the bookshelf should be there, follow it for 200 paces. Turn right, 10 paces sit.” I thought to myself as I counted every step hoping that I got it right as I sat down and leaned against the bookshelf, grabbing the Time Stone and holding it tight in my hands as the sound of footsteps echoed through the library.

“That shadows are moving,” the Other yelled out to Thanos and I realised he had gone past the library door. He was in the carnivorous shadows.

“Keep searching. He’ll be close,” Thanos ordered just as the Other began to scream, begging for help. I cringed as I heard flesh tearing and the Other’s screams stop abruptly as the crunching of bone filled the temple. I kept my mouth shut and covered the Time Stone with my body, hoping that Thanos wouldn’t find me.


	7. Chapter 7

***Shadow’s POV***

After being moved out of the normal torture room, I had realised where they were taking me. They turned the portable UV on as soon as I started struggling until they left me here. A room filled with pure UV light and nothing else and I always keep eyes closed here. It stops one part of my body from hurting as I burn. I can hear people walking past the room, some even stop and laugh at me. But I do nothing as my body burns all day, every day and I am lucky if I sleep because of the agonizing pain.

"Kill him!" "AH!" Despite the intense pain, I opened my eyes and looked out the open door as gunshots and explosions filled my ears.

"She's in there! Please don't...AH!" Despite the screams of pain getting closer, I couldn't be bothered fighting my restraints. I have no energy and the lights keep me too weak for anything.

"Oh. He was telling the truth," I groaned in annoyance when I heard that all too familiar voice.

"You don't mean that. Bucky, 4 floors down, east corridor." Stark commented before climbing out of his Iron Man suit.

"Would you help a girl out rather than leaving her to burn in pain?" I asked motioning to the lights above. My voice rough and scratchy from disuse.

"Why are you here?" Stark questioned as he clambered back into his suit.

"You knew they wouldn't keep me in the same prison as everyone else," I said rolling my eyes at Stark as he looked at my black and blue body.

"I didn't think they would try and kill you," Stark admitted as he ripped my restraints off and shot the bright UV lights above me creating shadows within the room.

"What do you want Stark?" I asked as I tried to stand, finding that the shadows were the only things keeping me upright.

"I need your help. Earth needs your help," Stark admitted with a sigh.

"With?" I asked annoyed.

"Thanos has 3 of the Infinity Stones and Loki is missing," I snapped my head to look at Stark just as Bucky entered the room.

“Shadow!” Bucky exclaimed as he embraced me.

“Hey, Buck. How’s the head going?” I asked, returning the brief hug.

“Better than you are apparently,” I smiled at Bucky’s remark before the sound of running feet filled the silence of the room.

“If you’ll excuse me a moment, boys. I need to stretch,” I commented monotonously, linking my hands together. As a group of men ran into the room, I stretched my arms as far forward as they would go before pulling them over my head, the three closest men going with my hands and hitting the wall behind me.

“Killer stretch,” Stark commented as the other men ran out of the room.

I think it’s sad. I actually kinda missed you, Stark. Kinda,” I commented before grabbing the two boys and jumping into the jungle just outside of the laboratory.

“That means you still missed me though. I’ll go tell the others we are heading back to the compound. Take Tinman with you now,” Stark ordered before flying off.

“Wait. I thought y’all were fighting Thanos,” I pointed out, confused by Tony’s words.

“The Avengers are, except a few who are protecting the remaining Infinity Stones that we know the whereabouts of,” Bucky explained. “The X-Men or whatever they are, are the ones in the compound,”

“That makes more sense but go back.  _That you know their whereabouts_?” I asked grabbing Bucky’s arm.

“Loki had the Time Stone before he went missing,” I nodded my head as I realised where Loki would be.

“I think I know where Loki is so we’ll go on a slight detour first,” I jumped into the Void before Bucky could say anything and was met with the familiar appearance of the Temple of the Damned.

“LOKI!” I called out as I began to walk into the temple, Bucky hesitantly following behind.

“LOKI!” I called again, grabbing Bucky’s arm when he began to fall behind.

“Where are we?” Bucky questioned.

“The Void so be careful. It would suck if you got lost here,” I explained, Bucky walking a little closer to me.

“LOKI!” Bucky called out as I moved the shadows out of the way so that Bucky could enter the temple.

“Did you hear that?” I asked and Bucky shook his head.

“LOKI!! WHERE ARE YOU?!” I called out and this time I know I heard it. A very quiet and indistinct reply, but a reply none the less. Bucky and I began running down the halls of the temple hoping to find him a little quicker.

“LOKI!” Bucky called out and we could hear the louder reply but not distinct yet.

“LOKI!” I cried out and this time I heard Loki’s reply.

“KNOWLEDGE ROOM!” I tightened my grip on Bucky and jumped to the book filled room on the other side of the temple, finding Loki on the floor, leant against the shelf filled with knowledge on the Frost Giants.

“Love you reading choice,” I commented making Loki look up from whatever he has in his hands.

“I thought you were dead,” Loki noted as he got up from his spot and embraced me.

“Join the club,” I remarked feeling the slightest chuckle from Loki.

“I have a feeling you can take care of this,” Loki noted as he broke the hug and handed me an amulet.

“Saved a second rate sorcerer’s life by stealing this,” I nodded, not really paying attention as I recognised the amulet.

“This is the Eye of Agamotto. The man who had this…” I began but fear was beginning to spike in the back of my mind.

“One Doctor Stephen Strange,” Loki noted in a mocking tone.

“So my old man became a doctor. Bet my life it was for the money,” I remarked as I handed the amulet to Bucky, placing it in his metal hand.

“What do you mean by your old man?” Bucky questioned as he crushed the amulet.

“Timor Strange, daughter of Stephen Strange. The man you met is, unfortunately, my father,” I explained as Bucky dropped the green gem out of his hand. Just before the gem touched my hand it began floating before being absorbed into my body.

“What the hell just happened?” Bucky asked taking a few steps backwards.

“I’m a living shadow, Buck. What is it going to affect?” I explained showing them my arm where a dim green glow had begun to flash softly on my forearm.


	8. Chapter 8

“Can you please take these out for me?” I asked the boys as I led them into a small medical room in the temple. I pulled one of the UV lights out of my arm and showed them what I was asking for.

“How long have they been there?” Bucky asked looking at one of the deep gashes on my other arm where you could see the tip of one of the lights.

“Almost a year,” I admitted as I lay down on the bed. Loki and Bucky began pulling the lights out from my flesh and the wounds would heal relatively fast after that as the nearby shadows would settle into the gaps.

“I think that’s all of them,” Loki noted as he pulled the last light out of my ankle.

“Thanks, boys,” I said as I sat up again. I looked out the door and could see a partial skeleton on the floor.

“Um, who is that?” I asked Loki as I pointed to it. He turned and looked at the skeleton before smiling.

“Thanos was here with the Other. That,” He pointed at the skeleton. “Is the Other. Thanos left soon after,”

“Good to know you avoided those shadows,” I replied, thankful that Loki was still alive.

“Have you changed at all in the last year?” Bucky asked, his eyes had not left me since the boys started to remove the lights.

“I think the torture they did, made me more like a shadow. I could at least stand in natural sunlight without feeling like I was going to die. Now I feel… I don’t know. Hurt, I think. I’m in pain when I’m in sunlight,” I explained looking at the swirling black patterns on my hands and arms.

“We need to get back to the Avengers before Thanos gets there,” Bucky noted as he looked to Loki and I.

“Yeah but I can’t go outside anymore,” I agreed, grabbing Loki and Bucky’s arms.

“Their inside. They were going South of Brooklyn,” Bucky explained.

“When we get there, Buck. I’ll get Loki to give me a hand and we’ll get rid of the Winter Soldier,” I explained before teleporting as Bucky smiled.

“Lady Shadow!” I got rammed into by Thor as we appeared inside a small building.

“Hello Thor,” I said hugging him back as he lifted me up.

“I’m glad you are alive,” Thor noted loudly, finally putting me back on the ground.

“Me too,” I said taking a big breath of air now that I could breathe. I looked around and saw only a few of the Avengers in the room.

“The others are outside,” Clint explained as he walked over and gave me a side hug. “And apparently your dad,”

“That sentence was going well until the last part, Clint. You were doing well,” I commended as we pulled apart.

“So is there a plan or just kill Thanos?” Loki asked giving Nat and Bruce a quick hug each.

“We don’t have a plan yet. Other than keep the Infinity Stones away from Thanos,” Nat explained and I nodded my head in thought.

“I may have an idea but it is extremely dangerous,” I said quietly.

“Any idea is a good idea right now,” Clint admitted as he looked back out the window.

“If anyone else has ideas we’ll try them first. My idea would be a last resort,” I explained certainly before remembering about Bucky. “You’ll want to sit down, Buck.”

“Cause it’ll hurt. I know,” Bucky grumbled.

“No. Because you will pass out for a while and I’d rather not have you fall on me,” I explained and Bucky stopped moving halfway to the floor and looked at me.

“She’s joking. Sit down,” Loki quipped giving me a half smirk.

“What are you guys doing?” Steve asked as he walked back in.

“I’m going to remove the Winter Soldier,” I explained dragging Loki down to the ground as I sat down.

“I’m glad to see you’re alive, Shadow, but you already tried to get rid of the programming,” Steve complained as he stood next to me.

“On my own yes. Loki needs to learn to read the fine print though,” I explained as I held my hands against Bucky’s temples and took a deep breath. As I exhaled I let my mind wander to Bucky as the shadows around us crept along my arms and into Bucky’s head through his mouth and nose.

***

“That’s still gross,” Bucky commented as we stood side by side in his mindscape.

“It’s the only way I can get in your head, mate,” I explained as I walked towards a tightly locked and chained door. The whole area around it covered in traps, blood and bones. I rubbed my hand over the mark on my wrist and could feel Loki’s magic slowly seeping into my arms.

“Loki has certain genetics that allow him to survive below freezing temperatures,” I began as I pushed my hands on the door.

“His ancestry, I know,” Bucky said as he walked over to me.

“I’m going to lower the temperature in there until the point that your mind will probably feel dead. You will get very cold and you will be very weak,” I explained as my hands turned blue and the door began to cover with ice.

“Just before the point that it would kill you, we will open this door and let the Winter Soldier out,” I began but Bucky cut me off.

“NO! We can’t let him out,” I shook my head at Bucky and shushed him.

“He will be lethargic and practically frozen. If we can avoid your memories of being the Winter Soldier, I can bind him with shadows and then Loki can remove him from your mind but if he is still free or inside here, he will survive,” I explained and Bucky nodded his head in defeat.

“Okay… do it.” Bucky agreed and I could feel the temperature in Buck’s mind drop alarmingly fast. Soon the whole door was covered in ice and Bucky looked like he was about to freeze.

“Hey. I’m going to let him out. I need you to be ready for whatever happens,” I said crouching down next to Bucky and covering him in some shadows so he could warm up before I walked over to the door.

“Alright. Let’s get this fucker,” I exclaimed as I kicked on the door a few times before it finally gave and fell open. Inside was Bucky but when he was the Winter Soldier and he was covered in a layer of frost and unresponsive. I reached out for the Winter Soldier with shadows and restrained him with them before running back to Bucky, worried I’d cooled his mind too far.

“I…i…is he. Res…strained?” Bucky asked as he shivered and I pulled him away from his mind and back to reality to get Loki to hurry up before Bucky froze to death.

***

“Loki,” I managed to say as I opened my eyes. Bucky was out cold in front of me and my eyes widened in shock and fear.

“What’s happened?” Steve asked next to me as I released Bucky’s head and he collapsed to the side.

“Where’s Loki gone?!” I asked even more fearful as I looked around, unable to see Loki.

“He went outside with Thor,” Steve stated beginning to panic.

“Wanda?” I asked Steve.

“I’m here,” Wanda said slightly unsure as she walked forwards.

“I’m going to send you into Bucky’s mindscape. The Winter Soldier is constricted in shadows,” I explained letting some shadows, crawl up her arm to join her mind with Bucky’s.

“Okay,” Wanda said sitting down carefully just before she passed out against me.

“Will this work?” Steve asked still in shock.

“I hope so,”


	9. Chapter 9

“They’ve been like that for too long,” Steve complained as he paced the room, the light beginning to enter through the windows.

“If they don’t hurry they will both be killed,” I said in a panic as the sunlight began to move up Bucky’s body, narrowly missing me and the shadows I was using to keep him alive.

“We need to wake them up,” Steve concluded as he stormed forwards. His shield caught the rays of light and shined them straight into my face.

“AH!” I fell away from Wanda and Bucky, the shadows stabilising them both recoiling away as well and Bucky began to convulse.

“What’s happening?” Steve asked as he rushed to Bucky’s side as Wanda began to stir.

“I was stabilising him. He’s dying,” I admitted in a panic, unable to get closer to Bucky as his arm and Steve’s shield kept reflecting the sunlight.

“I was almost done,” Wanda stated groggily before she rushed to Bucky’s side, entering his mindscape again. I took some more steps back as the light got closer and closer to me.

“HELP HIM!” Steve yelled at me and I shook my head.

“I can’t. There’s too much light for me to get close enough,” I replied, most of the floor now flooded with light.

“Close the blinds!” Loki ordered as he and Thor ran in, hearing the panic. Thor and Loki began closing the blinds until there was a clear path from me to Bucky and I rushed over, covering his body with the shadows and forcing them into his mind. His convulsions began to subside and his breathing began to slow again.

“What was that all about?!” Steve growled at me, not daring to move me.

“Sunlight burns me more than normal. The torture I was exposed to killed the more human side of me,” I explained softly as Bucky’s breathing began to stabilise on its own.

“How will we know if it works?” Steve asked watching Bucky with concern.

“Not until he wakes up,” I answered, removing the shadows from his body carefully but leaving some inside him until I was sure he was okay.

“I think I did it,” Wanda groaned as her eyes flickered open. I turned to Bucky and removed all of the shadows from his body, leaving him alone.

“I guess we’ll find out soon enough,” Steve grumbled. I turned my head and gave Loki a questioning glance while Steve hovered over Bucky.

‘Talk outside.’ Loki mouthed to me before pointing at Steve. I glanced back over before soundlessly sighing and getting off of the floor.

“What are you scheming?” I asked Loki once the door was closed. Thor standing with us in the shadow produced by the building.

“I was supposed to give Thanos the Tesseract after ‘successfully’ taking over Midgard. If I were to walk up to him, offering the Tesseract he wouldn’t second-guess it,” Loki explained. When he didn’t expand further and he and Thor looked so proud of themselves I began questioning my sanity, at least what’s left of it anyway.

“Sorry. You want to give the Space Stone to Thanos?” I asked trying to wrap my head around it.

“What? No. I can get closer to him and try and get the other Infinity Stones off of him,” Loki stated annoyed.

“That should have been your headline. The first attempt sounded like you two were planning on giving Thanos exactly what he wants,” I said, sighing thankfully.

“So you think it’ll work?” I winced my face and looked at Loki questioningly.

“You want to try and hold the Power Stone which will obliterate you. Touch the Soul Stone without becoming a puppet while handing over the Space Stone and not to mention that Thanos has the Reality Stone,” I explained, pointing out all the flaws in the boys' plan.

“Not entirely. I can open portals to you,” Loki cleared up and I nodded in realisation.

“So you want me to grab them so you don’t have to touch them. It may work,” I agreed but something was tugging in the back of my head. Screaming out that this wouldn’t work.

“How many know your plan?” I asked and the two boys looked at each other guiltily.

“Lady Shadow, no one else does. This was Thanos will see the Avengers looking betrayed,” Thor explained when I looked at the two gobsmacked.

“It will make it easier for me to get closer,” Loki explained proudly.

“You know what? Fuck it. Thor and I will just have to try and explain it to save your arse if this works,” I answered rubbing my hands over my face.

“ _When,_ not it,” Thor corrected. I sighed quietly but faked a smile and nodded.

“One problem though. Where is the Tesseract?” I asked and Thor and Loki looked at each other before looking over my shoulder. I turned my head and saw the last person I ever wanted to see walking towards us.

“Nope,” I said definitively and began walking away until Thor grabbed my arms.

“We need you to distract him so that Loki can get the Tesseract,” Thor whispered.

“Can’t you?” I snapped trying to tug my arms out of his strong grip.

“You would keep him preoccupied longer,” Thor noted and I sighed.

“I hate both of you currently,” I hissed before turning around when I heard someone scoff.

“You may want to cough a bit harder. I think your cold heart is still stuck,” I growled looking at my father.

“At least I have one,” he retorted and I sharpened my gaze on him, able to see Loki out the corner of my eye, reaching for the Tesseract that was clearly in his cape.

“It’s wasted there. You don’t use it after all. You couldn’t have cared less when you threw me to Stryker,” I seethed and he just smiled.

“I did when he refused to kill you.” I lunged at Stephen after his comment but his cape wrapped around my body and held me back, leaving his side.

“Nice try,” He said smugly and I smiled able to see Loki walking off with the Tesseract.

“It was, wasn’t it? I mean, your piece of crap just let the Tesseract get stolen,” I pointed out and Stephen just laughed, not believing me. Eventually, the cape unwrapped itself from me and instead of yelling at Stephen I walked away, able to hear him calling out in anger when he realised I was telling the truth.


	10. Chapter 10

“Thor,” I grabbed Thor’s arm and pulled him out of sight as Thanos and the Black Order watched Loki cynically while he walked closer.

“I have but a gift. These fools think they can beat you,” Loki mocked as he held the Tesseract in his hands. “They are too easy to fool,”

“Yet you failed to collect the Tesseract and return it to me the first time,” Thanos noted and I worried that he sounded too calm.

“But did I? We had a plan that I would conquer Midgard and hand you back the Tesseract. Until I realised that the blonde oaf would come here to protect this pathetic realm so I had a last minute change of plans,” Loki explained with a sick smirk covering his face.

“And did that involve becoming a part of the Avengers?” Thanos growled as he raised his hand to hit Loki but Loki just held out the Tesseract.

“It did. So I could get the Mind Stone back and retrieve you the Time Stone. A simple added interest for not sticking to your, original plan.” Loki coerced and you could see the smile pulling at Thanos’s lips.

“The Avengers are weakened at the moment. You will have no trouble taking what is rightfully yours,” Loki explained as the smile on Thanos’s lips screamed egotistically.

“Come. Let’s see if you were telling the truth,” Thanos said before growling. Proxima hit Loki in the back of his head, knocking Loki to the ground.

“We head over now and find out if this pathetic excuse of a snake really was telling the truth for once,” Thanos ordered as he broke the Tesseract, the Space Stone floating into its place on the gold gauntlet Thanos was wearing.

“Let’s go,” I whispered to Thor as I grabbed his arm and jumped the two of us back to the Avengers.

“Where did you two go?” Steve asked when Thor and I landed.

“Didn’t you see the ship land over there?” I asked him sarcastically.

“We went to investigate,” Thor further explained as I began looking around, pretending to be trying to find Loki as Thanos’s appeared in the corner of my eye.

“Guys, where’s Loki?” I asked worriedly before Thanos’s laugh filled the space, the last rays of sun now gone.

“Does he have a special meaning to you?” Thanos mocked as we all turned to see Thanos and the Black Order standing at the edge of the forest, Loki in the centre with a smirk on his face.

“I swear I will kill him,” Stark growled when he saw Loki.

“I felt Thor’s hand on my shoulder, ‘comforting’ me as we both just stared at the group in front of us.

“Bring me the Infinity Stones,” Thanos ordered and his goons began to stalk forwards, Loki opening a small portal next to Thanos’s hand. I reached through the portal, managing to grab the Reality Stone before a spear came too close to my head.

“Get Loki,” I said to Thor before kicking out Ebony Maw’s leg when he appeared behind Thor.

“Aye,” Thor headed for Loki while I dodged out of the way of yet another weapon. I spun over the weapon and used it to kick the newcomers face, seeing my father was too busy facing a rather large dude the Hulk was fighting that he missed Supergiant behind him.

“Crap,” I grumbled to myself. I managed to cease all contact with the two that were still trying to kill me and jumped to my father, knocking him out of the way of Supergiant.

“Thank me later,” I grumbled before jumping again, pulling him with me and out of the way.

“Why the hell did you do that?” Stephen growled at me.

“1) there is a fight going on out there and you want to argue? 2) As much as I hate you for what you did to me, you’re still my father.” I explained annoyed with myself before jumping back to the action. Leaving him where he was. I ducked under Thanos’s arm as he threw a punch and kicked upwards, getting him in the face.

“Fuck,” I growled to myself as Thanos caught my leg and threw me to the ground. As I tried to stand, Thanos brought his hand down and punched me in the ribs, filling the space around me with the cracking of bone.

“Ahh!” I screamed as he threw me into the closest building. The wall crumbled with the impact, most of it landing on me.

“She’s all yours. Kill her,” Thanos ordered Loki. Loki looked between Thanos and I, eyes wide in shock.

“If you really don’t want to die in this waste world, kill her,” Thanos snapped and Loki took hesitant steps forward, drawing a dagger out of his pocket. As he walked past Thanos, Loki snatched the Space Stone from the gauntlet and stabbed Thanos in the chest but failed to pierce the armour as Thanos backhanded Loki. I tried to reach for some shadows but couldn’t concentrate long enough.

“What is so special about you?” Thanos questioned rhetorically as he lifted his hands to hit me. Before he could bring them down, Stephen opened a portal below me. Pulling me from danger.

“We’re even,” Stephen growled before running away from my body. I groaned as I got up to my feet and looked for Loki. Finding him on the ground with Thanos standing on his arm. I looked to all of the other Avengers and watched as one of the Black Order killed Vision, taking the Mind Stone. Wanda unable to get off of the ground as Steve and Bucky tried to keep her safe while Thor tried to help her up. Stephen and Stark barely managing to get the Mind Stone back Corvus Glaive before he could get it to Thanos.

“Damn it,” I whispered before jumping to right in front of Thanos before he could hit Loki. I braced myself and felt the impact on my arms, I reached for the gauntlet but was punched in the stomach, flying back into the wall. Loki got off of the ground as Thanos’s attention was now on me. I jumped to right in front of him again and was an inch away from one of the two Infinity Stones when Thanos grabbed my arms and threw me towards Loki. As I went to jump again, I found myself in a decrepit building, able to hear the fighting.

“What are you doing?” Loki growled at me, cradling his injured arm. I reached out softly and began to treat the break.


	11. Chapter 11

“Do you have a death wish?” I looked over to my father as he opened a portal into the small safe haven Loki and I had found as I tended to his broken arm.

“I wasn’t about to let her die,” Loki snapped at Stephen before wincing when I tied the cloth too tight.

“So you try and get yourself killed instead?” Stephen snapped.

“At least I tried to save her,” Loki growled before turning away from my father and walking towards the small gap that looked out over where Thanos was standing.

“What would it have been for if both of you had died?” I watched the two of them, figuring now wasn’t a great time but they needed to know why I was out there. What I was trying to do.

“I was trying to get the Soul Stone and I am going to try again.” Loki snapped back around to me, both him and Stephen staring at me in shock.

“You already have two of the Infinity stones with you, Shadow. Thanos wants your guts enough as it is, so stop trying to be a hero and get them out of here.” Stephen growled.

“I know! I know I have two of them and I knew what I was doing,  _dad_. But think this through. He still has the Soul Stone and the Power Stone. If I leave now he will kill all of you, I can’t do that. If I can get the Soul Stone, I’ll take it and the two I already have into a different reality. He won’t be able to get them as easily and he won’t have enough power behind him to kill everyone, even with the Black Order,” I explained Loki not even daring to open his mouth.

“It’s suicide,” Stephen exclaimed.

“Suicide that is now warranted. The first plan went to hell and now we need to get the Infinity Stones away from Thanos,” I explained. I could see the visible war on my father’s face before he turned to face Loki.

“What? You don’t have anything to say?” I winced slightly at Stephen’s harsh tone as he looked at Loki.

“I don’t like her idea as it could get her killed but it would work and it is possibly the last choice we have,” Loki admitted before turning to me. “If you get the Soul Stone, take the Space Stone as well. It’ll get four of the Infinity Stones away from him and it will give everyone the chance to regroup and find something that we can do to stop him if not kill him,”

“And if she fails Thanos gets three more Infinity Stones and we lose the only person capable of holding the Infinity Stones,” Stephen explained.

“I guess I better not fail then,” I noted before jumping back onto the street, instantly having to duck under a spear. I kicked my leg up, getting Proxima in the back of the knee as she twisted around to try and hit me again. I hit her in the face before jumping behind her and landing on the lower leg, breaking the bones.

“AHH!” I grabbed my side as the spear pierced my side, kicking Proxima in the face and knocking her out. I looked down and saw the blood beginning to pour out of the wound too much to be easily fixed. I looked around and saw Thanos standing over Tony, Tony’s suit in pieces around him, no longer protecting him.

“The end is near. When I’m done, half of humanity will still exist. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be. And I hope they remember you,” I ran forwards, jumping between Thanos and Stark just as Thanos was about to crush him.

“No!” I braced my arms against the other taking the blast of Thanos’s hit, the ground crumbling beneath me.

“RUN!” I screamed at Stark. I watched him out of the corner of my eye as he blasted Thanos in the stomach, lessening the pressure on my arms. A reached over the gauntlet and grabbed the Soul Stone from its place, absorbing it into my body. I pushed my arms away, knocking Thanos’s arms off of me before grabbing Stark’s arm and jumping. The wound in my side throbbing in pain as I landed awkwardly with Stark, both of us falling to the ground.

“We have to get you out of here,” Stephen ran forwards passing me the Mind Stone then grabbing Stark while Loki tried to help me.

“I love you,”  I kissed Loki’s cheek, grabbing the Space Stone from him, before separating myself from the others and jumping in front of Thanos, drawing his attention from Stark, Stephen and Loki.

“I believe you want something. Come and get it,” Thanos ran at me as I jumped, a sharp ripping pain stringing through my body as I pulled at the tether holding me to my home reality. I could feel Thanos behind me as a portal opened in front of me and into a new reality.

“Ah,” I stumbled when I first stepped on the ground of this new reality when I landed, the gravity feeling a small bit heavier than home. I got to my feet as quickly as I could before sprinting for the wall in front of me, leaping onto it and pushing myself back to an adjacent wall, 8 metres from the ground as Thanos barged through the portal.

“You think you can hide from me?” Thanos asked turning his head to look at me.

“I don’t need to hide. Try and find me,” I tapped the wall, the shadows beneath his feet swarmed around him taking him to somewhere else in this reality. I breathed out a sigh of relief before dropping down to the ground and landing heavily as my body began to go into shock, I was covered in bruises and blood. I turned onto my stomach and tried to stand up, feeling my legs crying out.

“Fuck,” I grumbled when I tried to walk, the adrenalin having worn off now as I fell back to my knees. I collapsed onto all fours, bent over the ground as I began coughing up blood onto the cement below. I looked up after the coughing subsided and tried to work out where I was. There was nothing of interest at first and then I turned to my left and saw a bunch of people staring at me.

“Loki?” I managed to ask before everything went black and I fell to the cement unconscious.


End file.
